Assa & Dorit Revelis by Harley Weir for Vogue Italia, January 2018

Assa ignites a sense of serenity as we feel our spirits rise by Harley Weir for Vogue Italia, January 2018. We have entered a period of our existence that doesn’t demand alot of background noise. We don’t need to distract or overwhelm, we need only to honor our inner fire. The Female Spirit is Here to Say, We’ve Taken Our Place and We Aren’t Going Away. Here we witness something that may seem subtle, or worse, not loud enough to get the attention required to deem it successful. And, there we have it. The impetus for the derailment of dignity. Whereupon we lose our ability to stand our rightful ground, giving up who we really are. Sometimes the strongest statement we can make requires the least amount of visual & verbal aid. Now, that is a tough one, for someone who feeds on the artistry of Writing. However, even I, who struggles to step back can recognize what it adds. The Nourishment of the Soul. Harley is one of my Heroes. Her work speaks to a part of me that longs to be free. A part that believes in myself ~ but retreats from that truth. A part that, I feel, is a very common theme among those of us who hide behind the pen.

This editorial allows Assa & Dorit Revelis to bring forth a feeling of authenticity. It is not extreme what they are doing, nor is it mind-blowing what they portray. However, I witness these women as female conquerors… heroines of the fight. They are my Soul Sisters. Naked Makeup doesn’t require a heavy hand, instead it asks us for thoughtful recognition. Thomas de Kluyver shows the steadiness of skills, by exposing the beauty of skin. His application process is one by which we can all learn. Above all, his arsenal honors the conceptual construct of cosmetics. His is a story of skin that’s told by the strength of what is within. So, the tools he chooses to use becomes a question of creativity – the mind/makeup mix. Exposing us to an advanced level of treatment, allows us to discover new roads to travel. There is a vital need for this kind of specificity in skin care. Beauty bares itself to be one of sheer mastery, as subtlety shows the many layers of humanity.

Marie Chaix embraces the currency of haute couture, by allowing fashion to flow from one picture to the next. It is no longer a question of outfits that blend together, rather, it’s about whether each image meets it’s potential. Fluidity is met with consistency, giving us something relevant to stand upon. Bold elements that once fell into a category of fantasy, have been replaced by styles that represent a sense of neo-sanity. Dorit wears an array of calming colors that are easy on the eyes, meant to evoke a tone of tranquility. Deconstruction is the theme, as modern designers show, the best way to use restraint is to lose control. The ability to lose yourself is the only way you can find freedom. Each amalgamation represents realness. Akki Shirakawa honors the trajectory of realness by highlighting their natural hair. I take a deep breath as I allow my eyes to peruse each page. As women we are finally feeling our feet touch the ground. This is a fight we been engaged in for many years… but I can finally say… today we have the wings to fly higher than ever.